How to Make Social Media Videos That Drive Traffic

Not even sure what else we can say about video content at this point. We’re gonna make this very clear: if you’re not creating video content for your marketing efforts…you’re f*cking up.

If you are already creating video content, it’s time to level up and create content that actually drives website traffic. Andy Crestodina has some killer advice for you today.

Quick word of advice: ditch the cell phone. A shaky cell phone video isn’t going to get you great results. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. A tripod and a decent camera
2. A microphone and a quiet room
3. A light or a window
4. Basic editing software (like Camtasia)
5. An active following on social media

Once you’ve got that part on lockdown, what’s next? Actually doing it. Andy recommends recording videos that promote your latest blog posts. Here’s how:

1. Set up once. Record many. Pro-tip: Shoot a bunch of videos at once. Then, publish them whenever you’re ready. It’ll make the whole process so much quicker.
2. The shoot. What are you going to say? Follow this script:
   1. Smile 0:00
   2. Introduce yourself 0:02
   3. Tell the viewer what you’re doing here 0:05
   4. Summarize the article 0:45
   5. Your CTA: Suggest that they click! 0:55
   6. Thank them for watching 1:00
3. Import, size and sync. Pretty straightforward.
4. Edit and add captions. This part is complex so we can’t really sum it up here. Watch this video to see exactly how Andy does his editing and captioning.
5. Export the file.
6. Make the social media post! Import your video into LinkedIn, Facebook, or whatever platform. Then, write your description, AND include a link to the blog post you’re promoting in the video. Be sure to tag/mention anyone who helped create the post or added content to it. That’ll help amplify the video.
7. Promote the social media video/post. Now you gotta promote the video that’s promoting your blog post. (Gettin’ real meta up in here. Here’s a short history of marketing that explains why you gotta do this part.) Copy the link to the post and share it elsewhere…email it, share it in relevant groups, other social platforms, etc.

This post goes super Deep (yah, with a capital D), but we couldn’t fit everything in. Gotta read it yourself…

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